The surge of adrenaline coursed through Zion's veins as he narrowly avoided the deadly tusks of the massive boar. With lightning reflexes, he propelled himself off the creature's flank, creating a crucial gap between himself and its lethal head. A surge of mana surged through him as he unleashed an overcharged bolt, severing the beast's front leg. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zion lunged forward and swiftly dispatched the creature with a precise strike before retreating, his body weary from the relentless combat.

Grateful for the assistance of the soldiers on the north wall, Zion acknowledged that without their intervention, his fate would have been grim. Despite his individual strength, the sheer numbers of the enemy posed a significant threat. Together, they had managed to repel over two hundred mobs, but the relentless onslaught continued.

“Kid, they need you up top! A legendary just breached the spear wall!” Zion looked up at the screaming soldier, her face set in fear. He wanted to grumble about being called kid, but introductions weren’t at the top of the list. His prowess on the battlefield, however, had been passed along.

“Switch out! Heading up top!” His order was heard, and another body replaced his own. Zion hastily made his way to the top of the wall, the clangs and crashes of battle sounding all around. It was absolute chaos, with bodies littering the ground from mana burnout or drained stamina. It didn’t take him long to see the mob causing mayhem.

It was the biggest monster he’d seen yet, easily twenty feet tall. The thing was shaped like a wolf, but its fur was replaced by gleaming crystal. Giant shards of the stuff rose from in line down its back. Black eyes took in their prey, avarice evident within. Of course, the legendary mob was the Crystal Howler. This gemstone hound had been wreaking havoc across the Sphere Terra for decades.

Zion glanced at his mana stores and saw he only had about two hundred left. The reapplication of arcane edge had hit him hard. Regardless of the risk, he still drove forward at the wolf, bringing his blade down on its exposed read. His blade bounced off its hard hide with a clang.

Turning towards him with a howl, the monster brandished its teeth. It darted at him then, biting towards him with wicked speed. Zion hadn't been prepared for the quickness, barely blocking the muzzle with a weak parry. He was still sent flying back from the force, his body coming to a halt by way of debris.

The Crystal Howler pressed its advantage, closing the gap before Zion could get up. He blocked the first swing of its claw but felt the next wrench into his side. Another mana bolt was launched, distracting the beast from its follow-up. Zion rolled, bringing up an arcane shield to block the descending bite. Gaining his footing, Zion drove his blade, scoring a laceration across its left eye. The hide itself took no damage, but the black iris slit open from the attack. A buffeting howl admitted from the creature, knocking Zion back and bringing him onto one knee.

Zion braced himself for the Crystal Howler's imminent attack, his heart pounding in his chest as the monstrous creature lunged toward him. Despite his attempt to reinforce his arcane shield, he could feel his mana rapidly draining, his defenses weakening under the relentless assault.

"Damn it, this thing won't let up!" Zion grunted through gritted teeth, frustration evident in his voice as he struggled to hold his ground against the ferocious beast.

In a desperate bid for survival, Zion seized the moment when the creature brought its jaws down once more. With a surge of adrenaline, he lowered his shield and thrust his blade forward, aiming for the creature's gaping maw.

"Take this, you oversized mutt!" Zion shouted, his voice a mixture of determination and fear as his blade pierced the Howler's skull, eliciting a guttural roar of pain from the creature.

Just when victory seemed within reach, Zion's world shattered as his sword fractured under the strain of the battle. With a sickening realization, he felt the creature's jaws clamp down around his shoulder, the searing pain overwhelming his senses.

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"Ah, hell!" Zion cursed, his voice strained with agony as he struggled against the overwhelming force of the Crystal Howler's bite, his mind racing for a way to escape the deadly embrace.

Suddenly, salvation descended from the heavens in the form of a massive two-handed blade, wielded with unparalleled skill by none other than Korian, his mentor and teacher.

"Zion, hold on!" Korian's voice cut through the chaos, filled with urgency and determination as he swung his blade with precision, cleaving through the Howler's teeth and saving Zion from certain death.

As the creature fell lifeless at their feet, Zion's gratitude overflowed, but Korian's solemn demeanor hinted at darker tidings.

"Thanks, Korian," Zion breathed, his voice filled with relief and admiration as he looked towards his mentor, "You saved my hide back there."

Korian's expression was grave as he met Zion's gaze, a silent understanding passing between them.

"We'll talk later, kid," Korian replied, his tone serious yet reassuring, "Right now, we need to get you out of here."

With trembling hands, Zion accepted the port stone offered by his mentor, confusion and dread knotting in his stomach as he struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

"Korian, what's going on?" Zion asked, his voice tinged with anxiety as he searched his mentor's eyes for answers.

Before getting an answer, Zion felt a surge of energy ripple through him, momentarily alleviating the pain from his wounds. A healer, drawn by the chaos of battle, approached Zion with a sense of urgency. With a gentle touch, the healer began to close the gaping wound on Zion's shoulder, the soft glow of their hands offering a momentary reprieve from the pain. However, despite their efforts, Zion could sense that the healing was incomplete, the wound still tender beneath the surface.

Korian's gaze softened with empathy as he spoke, his words heavy with sorrow and regret. "Your father... he broke his mark, Zion," Korian explained, his voice filled with somber resignation, "He made the ultimate sacrifice to protect us all."

Zion didn’t bother replying, using the stone's charge to send him to the south gate. He practically inhaled six hundred mana from his necklace as his feet hit the southern road. Footsteps echoed off the walls around him as he sprinted towards the wall, the sounds of explosions and screams booming.

As he approached the wall, a sense of foreboding washed over him, amplified by the sight of meteorites hurtling through the sky, their fiery trails colliding with something in flight. He recognized the spell immediately – it was one of his father’s signature moves, a chilling realization that sent a shiver down his spine.

Bounding up the stairs to the battlements, Zion's eyes widened in shock as he beheld the scene unfolding before him. His father hovered in the air, surrounded by shards of earth suspended as if by magic, an aura of inky mist emanating from his body. It was a sight that filled Zion with both awe and dread, confirming his worst fears.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Zion watched as his father clenched his fist with a steely resolve, a silent acknowledgment of the sacrifice he was about to make. Then, all hell broke loose as the earth shattered and explosions rocked the air, the south wall crumbling before Zion's eyes.

Thrown backward by the force of the blast, Zion activated his shield instinctively; the impact softened but still jarring as he collided with the cobblestone streets below. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled to his feet, his mind consumed by a singular purpose – to find his father, to confirm what he already knew in his heart.

Climbing over the wreckage of the destroyed wall, Zion's worst fears were realized as he reached the summit, his eyes meeting the sight of a closing Void portal where his father had once stood. The stench of rot hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of the price his father had paid.

Fury coursed through Zion's veins, a white-hot rage that seemed to consume him from within. It pulsed with each beat of his heart, drawing on the ambient mana around him, swirling and coalescing into a potent force that surrounded him like a tempest.

With a primal scream of anguish and rage, Zion unleashed the full extent of his power, the mana responding to his emotions with a violent surge of energy. It enveloped him in a swirling vortex of haze, and his vision blurred as darkness closed in around him, a final notification flashing before his consciousness was consumed.

Ability acquired:

Surge (Active): This spell channels a surge of mana around the caster, infusing their body with its essence. The heightened concentration of mana enhances all of the caster's abilities, granting a 100% increase in all stats. Effects: The caster gains a temporary 50% boost to all stats, fueled by the expenditure of 200 mana per 20 seconds